Drug Firms Woo Democrats, Helping Defeat Their Bills

[tpsbmam]

Source: Washington Post

The pharmaceutical industry, long an ally of Republicans, has increasingly worked itself into the good graces of the Democratic Party and by doing so has helped block the Democrats' top prescription-drug initiatives.

In the year since they took over on Capitol Hill, Democratic leaders have been unable to pass either a bill allowing reimportation of drugs from Canada or a measure requiring negotiation of drug prices under Medicare. Neither is likely to reach the president's desk this year. Lawmakers on both sides of these issues say the primary reason is the influence, now redirected, of the drug lobby.

Drug companies have gone on a hiring binge, retaining Democratic lobbyists in dozens of major firms. This strategy, which K Streeters call "clogging the system," prevents adversaries from hiring anyone from those consultancies.

The drug lobby has also wooed congressional Democrats by plowing millions of dollars into helping with another Democratic goal: expansion of the children's health program. In a detente with its traditional foes, the drug industry joined a group that included AARP and Families USA to buy about $7 million in ads backing the expansion of the program, under which states receive federal money to provide health insurance to families with children.

The industry's main lobby, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, known as PhRMA, paid for most of the group's budget. "They have all the money," explained John Rother, policy director of AARP, which is no slouch when it comes to spending money on lobbying. "They're the ones who can write the big checks."

In years past, when pharmaceuticals leaned heavily Republican, Democrats did not have much reason to cut them a break or side with them on policy. Democrats won control of Congress in 2006 in part by accusing Republicans of being too close to drug companies and other "special interests." But now that pharmaceutical money is available to both parties, the drug companies have reason to hope for better treatment.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/11/AR2008031102620_pf.html

[depakid]

1. Meet the new boss -same as the old boss

[AndyA]

2. Which is why there will truly never be any real change.

We have to break the current system, and neither Hillary nor Barack will do it.

If people want change they can believe in, they have to open their eyes and see things for what they really are. Instead, they are believing a bunch of campaign promises (again) that are NEVER KEPT.

[ShockediSay]

13. Lobbies - THE greatest (hidden) tax increase for too many years

& especially in the last 7 years. Corruption - the hidden tax.

Is this why Hillary is proposing a 'universal' health care
plan, because her big contributors know they can cut it down easily?

At least Obama is not deriving most of his campaign contributions
from those large contributors. And he is making a point of going
after lobbyists.

[dmosh42]

3. Look up the 'Cochran' amendment to see....

who voted for it. It effectively killed the Dorgan amendment, which would have allowed cheaper impotation of prescription drugs. Kennedy and Kerry were two of the biggest culprits, along with a bunch of our Dem heroes. Like a "Whore's list".

[ToughLuck]

4. Could you post a link as to who signed on..I could not locate it online

Thanks!

[dmosh42]

5. Couldn't get a link to the bill, but can tell you how to get there....

Go to Opencongress.org, and in the 'search' box, put s1082, which was the main FDA bill last May. That will tell you there was 82 amendments put up, and the Dorgan amendment was s amend 990, which would allow importation of prescription drugs. (the roll call follows) Then put up s amend1010(Cochran amendment) which provided that all these imports be re-inspected. Well, the FDA already said there was no way they could do all these inspections, so when the Senate passed the amendment, it effectively killed the bill. The bill also passed, and now the whole thing sits in the House, not expecting any action. But the Senators could say they voted 'aye' for a bill, with no explanation for the 'Cochran' amendment. I watched it all on C-Span, and could tell Sen. Dorgan wanted to puke as his fellow Senators killed his bill. But the Pharmaceutical industry was happy!

[Orsino]

6. This is the disease.

Everything else is a symptom.

[Javaman]

7. And this, in a nutshell, is why we will never get national healthcare. nt

[OhioChick]

10. Bingo! n/t

[Uncle Joe]

8. The best political leadership, money can buy. n/t

[InsultComicDog]

9. ...And if you still haven't seen Sicko

see it.

[uberblonde]

11. Top three recipients...

From Opensecrets.org 2008 Presidential contributions by industry:

Pharmaceutical/Health

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=H04

Hillary Clinton (D) $408,396

Mitt Romney (R) $399,786

Barack Obama (D) $395,923

[Laelth]

12. Disgusting.

This makes me sad. :(

-Laelth

[OneBlueSky]

14. the U.S. government may be one of the most corrupt in the world . . .

every branch is bought and paid for by multi-national corporate interests whose only concern is their own bottom lines . . . there are very few left in government who represent us (i.e. "we, the people") . . .

[meow2u3]

15. Lobbyists--the (unofficial) third house of Congress

and the most powerful one indeed :puke: